On this week's episode of WatchThis w/RickRamos, Ibrahim & I sit down in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to discuss the passing of an American Original, The Playwright Sam Shepard who passed away July 27th just a few months short of his 74th birthday. I have to admit that I had been an admirer of Shepard's for quite some time without knowing a great deal about him. His passing led me on a tour of his work in front of the camera and behind the typewriter. With that in mind we discuss his work as an actor (The Right Stuff, Fool For Love, BlackHawk Down, and many more) as well as his written work (Fool For Love, True West, Paris, Texas,) as well as his iconic stature as a symbol of The American Male.

Through looking at these films, plays, and the touching and - ultimately - heartbreaking documentary Shepard & Dark, we get an intense and sometimes frustrating examination of this man. The documentary Shepard & Dark is particularly enlightening in it's profile of a nearly five decade long friendship between Shepard the playwright and his best friend Johnny Dark, a hermetic writer who seems to be the polar opposite of Shepard in both attitude and professional desire.

This was a bit of a look into the darkness for both of us. We thank you for continuing on our journey. As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks & All Of Our Love.